LITERACY INNOVATION IN A UNIVERSITY-AFFILIATED LAB SCHOOL: ADVANCING ACHIEVEMENT FOR BLACK STUDENTS IN A HIGH-POVERTY COMMUNITY

Abstract

National and local reading data continue to reveal persistent disparities in literacy achievement, particularly for Black students and students attending high-poverty schools. The purpose of this dissertation in practice was to examine the impact of targeted literacy interventions on Black students’ reading performance and to explore how participation in professional learning influenced teachers’ instructional practices during implementation of the intervention model at East Carolina University Community School (ECUCS). Grounded in Adult Learning Theory, this study also considered how collaborative professional learning could strengthen teacher capacity to support student literacy growth.

A convergent mixed-methods inquiry design was used. The study was conducted in the third-grade classroom at ECUCS and included third-grade students, the classroom teacher, and the special education teacher. Multiple data sources were analyzed, including the North Carolina Beginning-of-Third-Grade Reading test, mClass DIBELS assessment data, North Carolina Reading Check-In data, the Student Reading Motivation Survey, Teacher Literacy Interviews, and the Literacy Learning Walkthrough Tool. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to examine both student literacy outcomes and changes in teacher instructional practice.

Findings indicated mixed but meaningful evidence of student growth. Baseline data showed that students began the school year with significant reading needs. Subsequent assessment data suggested that several students demonstrated showed relative growth in relation to their peers in foundational literacy skills and reading comprehension, although progress was not consistent across all participants. Survey results indicated that many students maintained generally positive attitudes toward reading, though confidence and engagement varied depending on task difficulty. Qualitative findings revealed that teachers’ instructional practices shifted during the inquiry. Teachers reported that professional learning and collaborative planning strengthened their understanding of decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension instruction. Classroom observations confirmed increased use of structured small-group instruction, differentiated learning activities, and data-informed instructional adjustments.

The findings suggest that targeted literacy interventions, when paired with meaningful professional learning and collaborative instructional planning, can create conditions that support both teacher growth and student literacy development. Although student outcomes varied, the 12-week intervention implemented in two six-week cycles underscores the importance of comprehensive, responsive, and equity-focused literacy practices in high-poverty school settings. The findings suggest that extended implementation throughout the school year could lead to additional student growth and may positively influence future cohorts, as students build on the literacy skills developed during the intervention.

Implications include the need for sustained intervention, ongoing teacher learning, collaborative support structures, and intentional efforts to improve literacy outcomes for Black students and other historically underserved learners.